Chapter- 34 (Abandoned Disciple of Heavenly Demon)

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Episode 34: In the West (1)

Heo Woon couldn’t say anything. Even if he had ten mouths, he would have nothing to say.

Everything he planned failed. And that too at the cost of the lives of his disciples.

‘We gained nothing.’

‘No, I guess we’ve gained something, we found a new threat. Still, it didn’t feel like much compared to what we had lost.’

“Step back.”

“Sect Leader. Are you going to step down like this?”

The one who opposed Sage Xu Seong’s words was Gok Jeon, who was confronting Shin Ye-hyang.

“The alliance cannot retreat like this.”

“No, we’re going to step back now.”

Gok Jeon hurriedly turned his head at the sound of the voice.

There, a pale-faced Gok Yang was approaching, supported by a Gongdong Sect’s Taoist priest.

“Gok Yang!”

Gok Yang saw Jin Myeong confronting Sage Xu Sheng.

‘You couldn’t kill that guy in the end.’

He even went to the Gok Jeon in the false sense.

‘Not even Sage Xu Sheng. He withstood the attacks of those three. Like a Laughing Blood Demon, the new generation has already been surpassed.’

‘It’s not that simple. This brat is a warrior of similar level like us. But he is still very young. That means he can become stronger.’

“Why do such prodigies always come from the Demonic Sect? Not the Orthodox Sects.”

When Gok Yang lamented, the faces of Sage Xu Sheng and Sage Heo Woon also darkened.

“Tsk.”

Jin Myeong sighed at their appearance.

‘On the subject of not even caring when I showed up. There aren’t prodigies in the Orthodox Alliance?’

‘That’s nonsense. The protagonist’s appearance begins with knocking on the door of the Orthodox Alliance.’

‘Of course, not yet. There’s still quite a bit of time left before the first part of the original begins. His origins.’

The main character is not from the Nine Sects or Six Great Family clans.

However, it is not the case that the protagonist’s status is elevated because the teacher is a famous master. That’s why the protagonist started from the very bottom when he joined the Orthodox Alliance.

‘He did get some attention because he was strong. In the end, that was it.’

‘As expected from the main character, he was strong from the beginning and continued to become stronger through great encounters. However, the protagonist’s limit was to being a deputy commander of a moderate force.’

It was because of the restraint of those from the Nine Sects and Six Great Family clans.

“Let’s be honest.”

“Hmm?” Jin Myeong attracted attention of everyone.

“You are asking why such a prodigy doesn’t appear in your sect. If martial artists aren’t from a great sect or a prestigious family, Alliance simply ignored them.”

Sharp comment from Jin Myeong’s word immediately gave him ire from elders of orthodox alliance.

“What do you know, you little punk?”

“Well, I guess I know more than you guys”, said Jin Myeong. Anyway, he had read the entire novel as a reader.

Of course, he learned things that he couldn’t find in the novel, but there were still many things that he could only find in the novel.

“There is no need to listen to what that devil says.”

“This young warrior’s fighting skills is quite great. It’s just his mouth….”

It was because Jin Myeong made so many comments that hurt others that he was treated that way.

‘There’s no way they’d admit that, and neither is it because they are hypocritical.’

‘Even in the Heavenly Demon Sect, where power is everything, status was very important.’ Even if I had this power, I would not have received this much attention if I had not been a disciple of Heavenly Demon.’

‘Before that, I wouldn’t even have been given the opportunity to meet the Vice-Sect Leader.’

‘I ignore all this unconsciously.’

At first, Jin Myeong thought, ‘There’s no way a guy who doesn’t come from a prestigious family like that can be that great.’

Then later on, they start to get jealous and say, ‘Why is there a guy like that…?’

This was the case with the original protagonist.

“You’ll find out when you see it. Is there really no prodigy in the Orthodox Alliance, or are you just not seeing it properly?”

“Huh. You’re talking nonsense with your big mouth.”

Gok Yang glared at Jin Myeong and then quickly moved his body.

“I’m leaving today, but this is not the end.”

“It would be best to return to the Demonic Sect as soon as possible.”

The two brothers, Gongdong Twin Elders and Gongdong Sect’s disciples, leave immediately.

“…….”

And Sage Xu Sheng and Sage Heo Woon also quietly glared at Jin Myeong and then began to retreat with the Taoist priests of the Kunlun School.

“I never thought you’d come back”, said Mok Ja-gyeong.

‘When did he come back?’ Jin Myeong was surprised by sudden appearance of Mok Ja-gyeong.

He who had disappeared and then reappeared, spoke to Commander Neung. But instead of answering, Neung Byeok-mun quickly turned his head away.

“Thank you for your help.”

“No. It was something that had to be done.”

The Gansu branch’s military officer shook his head at Neung Byeok-mun’s words.

“Then I wish you good luck.”

The Gansu branch’s personnel spoke to Commander Neung and the others, then led the soldiers, leaving them behind.

“How about going to Gansu with them instead?”

“We will not go to Gansu.”

Mok Ja-gyeong asked Commander Neung, about following personal from Gansu Branch, but got refusal.

“We will go straight to the island.”

Their final destination. Heavenly Demon Sect’s Seomseo Branch.

“Aren’t we going together this time?”

As the Neung Byeok-mun was about to leave, Mok Ja-gyeong asked. Because Neung Byeok-mun was about to leave even before the other people had gathered.

“Didn’t you already choose to act separately?”

Although numerous enemies surrounded them, the warriors of the Heavenly Demon Sect moved by dividing their numbers.

It’s not some kind of operation to distract the enemy’s attention. They just never intended to move together from the beginning.

“Isn’t it because you chose to abandon us, that this happened?”

Mok Ja-gyeong blamed it on Commander Neung, as if saying, ‘if he had controlled things properly, this might not have happened.’

The person leading this group was Commander Neung, appointed by Heavenly Demon.

“Think whatever you want.”

“What if there is someone who doesn’t go to Shaanxi?”

“I have already told everyone about the destination.”

The members of the Shadow Demon Unit that had been there a moment ago were no longer visible.

‘They must have moved to spread the word to others to come to the island.’

“It’s your decision. Just take responsibility for it.”

Commander Neung Byeok-mun couldn’t be forced. The attitude was that it didn’t matter whether other chose to go to Shaanxi or returned to Heavenly Demon Sect.

‘Was it like that originally? I don’t think it was.’

Jin Myeong quietly watched the back of Commander Neung. It seems as if they all don’t need to be there to complete Heavenly Demon’s mission.

‘I feel frustrated because I don’t know anything. Not to mention, it’s very frustrating because it was a mission that wasn’t mentioned at all in the novel.’

“Aren’t you going?”

As Jin Myeong was thinking about his mission, Shin Ye-hyang’s voice came into his ears. When he came to his senses at the voice and looked around, he saw that there were only two left.

‘When did he left?’

Before Jin Myeong knew it, Mok Ja-gyeong quitely disappeared. It seemed that he had moved to Shaanxi with his men.

“Let’s go. We can’t be here.”

Jin Myeong and Shin Ye-hyang began to move in the direction where the Neung Byeok-mun and Shadow Demons had disappeared.

And a few days later, Jin Myeong and Shin Ye-hyang were able to safely arrive at the Cloud Escort Agency in the western coast of Shaanxi.

“Welcome. I am Go Tae-mun, the head of The Cloud Escort Agency.”

The sad-looking Chief of Escort Agency greeted them, or rather, Shin Ye-hyang, the daughter of the Vice-Sect Leader, with respect.

This escort agency was one of the branches of the Heavenly Demon Sect in Shaanxi, and it was also them who discovered the lost treasure of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

“At first glance, it looks like an ordinary agency.”

“Because it’s just a normal agency.”

Shin Ye-hyang nodded and looked around the Escort agency.

“It’s easier to think of it as the sect’s unnamed personnel coming here to mark the place. We run an escort agency and earn money, which we send to the Heavenly Demon Sect. Of course, it is also very important not to miss any update in the Central Plains.”

“But is it going well? I don’t think there will be any requests because of connection with Heavenly Demon Sect.”

“Because of our connection, we receive a lot of requests from commoner’s and government officials. To them, we’re just a bunch of thugs, like mercenary or the private military.”

‘It seemed that public’s perception of the Demonic Sect was not as bad as he thought. Of course, the Kunlun Sect and the Gongdong Sect viewed them as enemies’, Jin Myeong concluded with their interaction with Chief Go.

“It is an honour to meet you. The rumour about Young Lord has spread all the way here.”

“My rumour?”

Jin Myeong looked at Escort Agency’s Chief with a puzzled expression after hearing him.

“I heard that you defeated Gongdong Twin Elders, the top martial artists of the Gongdong Sect.”

‘It seemed that he had already heard about what happened in Gansu.’

“Not only that, you also defeated The Kunlun Sword- The Cloud Dragon Sword. Because of that, Young Lord’s fame had spread throughout the Central Plains.”

“I don’t think I am that good.”

Jin Myeong thought it was not good to be in the spotlight. The more famous he becomes, the more people will envy him.

‘Then there will be more enemies.’

And it could also be thought that the Orthodox Alliance should first eliminate Jin Myeong.

‘Actually, didn’t Gok Yang think that I should be eliminated before Mok Ja-gyeong?’

“That must mean that Young Lord was a great warrior.”

A genius who can wield five swords at a young age.

“It is said that you were also given the nickname ‘Eogumsinma (馭劍新魔) (The Divine Demonic Fang)’.”

“I think it would be better to be called an incompetent disciple.”

A nickname given to him when he had not yet mastered martial arts. The nickname Jin Myeong got, “Eogumsinma,” felt really childish to him.

“I will ask for your help in the future. Now, I will show you a place to rest.”

Chief of Escort Agency pretended not to hear Jin Myeong’s words and continued to talk about agency.

Then he immediately began to guide Jin Myeong and Shin Ye-hyang to a place where they could rest.

‘It’s better than I thought.’

The annex that Chief of Escort Agency prepared as their accommodation was not fancy, but it was very clean and they liked it.

“You came.”

Mok Ja-gyeong, who had arrived at the annex first, smiled and waved at Jin Myeong and Shin Ye-hyang.

“It looks like only Senior Brother Mok has already arrived.”

“Haha. Are you suddenly being formal? You were picking a fight with me like that just a little while ago.”

“Have I ever done that?”

Despite Jin Myeong’s words, the smile did not disappear from Mok Ja-gyeong’s lips.

“It seems like Youngest doesn’t have a good memory. Is that why he wasn’t able to learn martial arts properly?”

“Now I’m learning it properly.”

“It’s still not that great of a thing to do with your body, though.”

It was clear that Jin Myeong’s swordsmanship and internal energy art were extremely excellent, but the swordsmanship he displayed with his body did not feel that great.

“Then I guess I’ll just rest now.”

“I know.”

Jin Myeong had no intention of talking to Mok Ja-gyeong anymore, so he ended the conversation and started heading to his room.

“This is it.”

Jin Myeong entered the guest room guided by the maid.

“I have prepared water, so you can wash yourself.”

At the maid’s words, Jin Myeong looked at a wooden barrel and the water inside.

‘Should I call this a bathtub?’

As soon as the maid left, Jin Myeong took off his clothes without even properly unpacking his luggage. Then he got into the bathtub, which was steaming hot.

“Hmm.”

Jin Myeong felt like all the strength in his body was released as he soaked in a moderately hot bath.

‘Finally. I got some rest.’

Perhaps it was because Jin Myeong thought that he could finally rest properly that all the muscles in his body relaxed.

Even though the Gongdong Sect and Kunlun Sect retreated, Jin Myeong couldn’t rest properly and came running here.

‘It was my first real battle.’

Only after Jin Myeong relaxed like that did he feel like he had successfully completed his first real battle.

Jin Myeong laid down deep in the bathtub and began to recall the events that had happened.

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